for the good fight of faith--and comfort the dejected, doubting,
despairing Christian. It abounds with ardent sympathy for the
broken-hearted, a cordial suited to every wounded conscience;
while, at the same time, it thunders in awful judgment upon the
impenitent and the hypocritical professor: wonders of grace to
God belong, for all these blessings form but a small part of the
unsearchable riches.

The reader should keep in his recollection, that this treatise was
originally conceived for the pulpit; and afterwards, probably with
great additions, written for the press. This will account for the
divisions and sub-divisions, intended to assist a hearer's memory;
or to enable a ready writer, by taking notes of each part, to digest
prayerfully in private, what he had heard in the public ministry
of the word,--a practice productive of great good to individuals,
and by which families may be much profited while conversing upon
the truths publicly taught in the church; instead of what Bunyan
would have justly called, frothy conversation about the dress or
appearances of their fellow-worshippers.

This discourse has been published in every edition of the works of
our great author, but, most strangely, the references to Scripture
are omitted in all the editions since that of 1737. Bunyan's anxiety
at every step of this momentous inquiry is to shew a "thus saith
the Lord," in proof of every assertion. In this treatise only,
there are nearly four hundred and forty distinct references to
the holy oracles. These are all carefully restored, and have been
collated with the standard text, for want of which some imperfections
had crept in, even to the old editions; and where the author
preferred the Genevan or Puritan version, it is shewn by a note